Celestial Sphere
by elesii
Summary: "If you stare into the void too long, the void stares back." Kazuto wondered one day, tired and bruised and battered from kendo practice: if you reached towards the sky long enough, would it reach back?


I.

He's always loved the sky.

The atmosphere above is a marvelous blue, today. Unsullied by the mark of humans. Unending, broken only by the pastel-like wisps of clouds. The sky doesn't judge him. It couldn't possibly judge him, after all. It was unsullied. Humans couldn't reach it.

And that means that _it_ couldn't reach _them_ either.

" **KAZUTO!** " A voice booms. He doesn't react. " **Stop daydreaming! Get up, and get back here!** "

Listlessly, he leaves the safety of the clouds, and the nearly unbroken blue, beautiful sky. "Coming, _ojisan_ ," He says aridly, rising to his feet. The kendo garb is heavy on him, but he can't complain. It was the only one that would remotely even come close to fitting his small frame and stature. The shinai feels like he's clutching hot metal. He turns back to the dojo. His grandfather stands at the door, huffing and snorting.

He's mad.

Kazuto exhales lifelessly, as he ambles towards the dojo, shinai dragging behind him.

He really doesn't like kendo.

II.

His body is sore. Bruised. Blackened. Jabs from practice swords leave parts of his skin swollen to the touch, and what remains is sweaty and flushed. The black robes he wears are soaked and soggy from his perspiration, and there are a few droplets at his tear ducts.

He _really_ doesn't like kendo.

His chest rises and falls as he lays on the floor, limbs splayed out like a five-point star. It hurts to move- the bruises and welts are too much for his seven-year-old body. So, he lays, still so as to not hurt his brittle bones anymore, and he gazes outside. The windows made of splintered wood are a cheap substitute for the window outside, but he dares not move. Dares not go any further, lest his body collapses on him.

He really doesn't like kendo because it always hurts.

" **Not good enough,** " His grandfather tells him, sneer on his face as he looms above Kazuto. " **We'll have to keep working on your form. Be up again tomorrow at 7am.** **We have to make it perfect.** "

Kazuto wheezes a laugh, then winces in pain. He's not excited for tomorrow.

He lets his head droop to the side, just a little bit so he can see out the window, and he marvels. The sky is still a pristine, unbroken inky navy blue. Stars dotted the skyscape, bright white shimmering dots on the unsplattered canvas of the sky.

 _Amazing,_ He thinks to himself as the stars twinkle just out of reach. The sky really was beautiful. Unsullied.

A crazy idea gnaws at his mind. Consumes his rational thought. Tentatively, he reaches an arm out towards the window. When the pain doesn't come, he moves just a little bit faster, his arm slowly reaching out towards the sky. He hopes it might grab him. Hopes that maybe, just maybe, the stars would reach him in turn. Float him away.

His hand tremble at the thought. Excitement in his veins. What _if_? He feels himself get lighter. Weightless, as his arm reaches towards the sky, just out of reach. _Just a little more._

The dojo's door slides open.

 _"Onii-san?_ " A soft voice whispers. Light footsteps trot in, like a ballerina.

He falls to the ground. His arm drops, and the weight on his chest is thrice as heavy.

Still, he smiles, and forgets about the sky. He lifts his head, just enough to see his younger sister stalk in, fear evident on her face as she searches. "I'm over here, Sugu," He calls flippantly, and he closes his eyes.

III.

"The key to good form," Grandfather grouses, "Is to keep your body low. Widen your stance. Plant your feet. Do that, and you'll maintain gait."

It's the same lecture he's heard. Over and over and over again.

He looks aside and instead at his sister, restlessly clenching and unclenching her hands. He stifles a smile- ever since she found him two nights ago, beaten senseless, she's refused to leave his side. It's soothing to know that she cares.

" **Kazuto, pay attention!** "

He snaps back, back stiffening like concrete. Grandfather sniffs noisily, shaking his head. "Youth…" He mumbles to himself, before he returns to attention. "Very well, then. Kazuto, if you seem so confident on your knowledge of form, then shall you demonstrate against someone? You there. Come up. Kazuto too."

He feels ice crawl down his back, stifling his face as Suguha shoots him a fearful glance. He mustn't get her worried; he's already worried her enough.

Silently and fearfully he rises, Shinai already held loosely in his hand and terror gnawing at his footsteps. He stops at his mark- old, worn tape, placed carefully on the ground- and he turns.

The boy he faces is at least four inches taller than him. He elevates his gaze to look the other, taller boy in the eye. He remains passive. _Don't blink. Don't wince. Don't even smile._ Grandfather once told him. _Don't give away any sort of hint that you're scared. Because the moment you do…_

 _… you dig your own grave._

He bows. "I hope we have a good match," He says politely- as customary. He feels the other boy's sneer upon his nape.

"Yes. I hope so too," The boy snarks, mirroring the raven-haired boy. Kazuto dares not say a word- dares not argue. Instead, he simply raises his head and offers the barest hint of a smile, his off hand moving underneath his other to grip the light wooden sword. Again, the other boy mimics him, a confident smirk on him as he draws.

Kazuto lowers, like Grandfather told him. Feet shoulder width apart, turned just a little bit inward. Shoulders squared. Arms firmly out. The boy sloppily emulates him once more, lazily echoing the stance that Grandfather taught. Kazuto doesn't smirk. Doesn't smile. Doesn't give anything away.

Grandfather roars into the air. " **Begin!** "

And it's over before it started.

The boy falls swifter than lightning, almost _blown over_ by Kazuto as he knocks the sword against the boy's taller, more unbalanced body. He topples his foe over, the sword barely even moving as the other, taller boy falls and stares at him in awe.

"Woo! You did it, _onii-san_!" Suguha cheers on; the only noise breaking the silence born of surprise. Kazuto smiles warmly at his younger sister, who giggles in response.

Then he turns to look at Grandfather. His face unbroken, and his lips pressed together in a line. Kazuto's expression vanishes from his face, a lightly rested frown replacing it as he feels his Grandfather's eyes study him.

It's well known that Grandfather doesn't praise. He doesn't smile. He doesn't encourage. He doesn't uplift. Not once has Kazuto ever heard something nice from his grandfather's lips.

But today, Grandfather smirks. Just the barest amount. "Well done. Perfect form, Kazuto," He compliments.

And the raven-haired boy can't stop his smile from blooming. _Perfect._

Maybe he does like kendo.

IV.

 _Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. Thunk._

"Aren't you overdoing it, _oniisan_?"

Suguha has gotten more eloquent- and snarkier, too- at nine-years-old, but her concern for him remains, even as she taps away at the controls of her handheld. He wipes sweat from his brow and smiles brilliantly at her, Shinai lowering away from the fabric-covered, hardened training dummy.

He replies, "I'm fine," turning back to look at the dummy, the fabric beaten inward from years of abuse. "I have to perfect this swing. Or else-, "

"Yeah, yeah, you'll have _'a sloppy basis for advanced mechanics_ ' or whatever," Suguha crinkles her nose as she elevates the screen closer. "You sound just like _ojisan_."

Kazuto laughs. Ice runs down his spine.

"No way," He dismisses. "Grandfather is way too serious about this sort of stuff."

 _That_ gives Suguha pause. She stops her game and turns to look at him, irises trembling.

"And you aren't? _Oniisan_ , practice was four hours ago. The sun is going to set soon. Take a break."

He turns and looks outside. She was right- she usually was, after all- the sun had crested past its apex, and had begun its descent past the horizon. The perfect blue sky has started washing with orange.

… _Has it really been that long?_

He feels his feet ache. His muscles are sore- they scream for collapse. His spine barely holds him up. How long as he been this tired?

He groans and crumples slowly onto his rear, letting his shinai drop off to the side. Suguha turns in alarm, "Are you okay?-, " but is quickly silenced by Kazuto's waving hand.

"I'm fine." He says yet again, sliding over beside her, taking care not to pull or bruise his muscles any further. His feet dangle over the edge, and he looks up.

The sky looks beautiful today. Even as it transitions into the night, it remains unbroken, sequestered away by clouds and suns and stars and moons. He exhales. It's so, perfectly beautiful.

He reaches a hand out to it. He lets it dangle in the air for a little before he chuckles and lowers it again.

Maybe someday it would reach back.

He turns to his sister, nose still buried deep in her game.

"Hey, what're you playing?"

"Oh, it's this game called Legend of Zelda. I'm not sure if you'd really like it-,"

"Neat, what are you doing in it right now?"

V.

Suguha has never been that interested in Kendo.

It's a fact of life that he's always known. She was the quiet one; the one interested in Mom's job dealing with computers- all her gaming stuff was from her, after all. It was a fact of life that he was always okay with- she was still his sister, so what did it matter what she did?

But it was a fact of life that Grandfather was _not_ okay with. She was the talented one. The one who could pick up Kendo and win championships without even an ounce of effort. She was the golden child. Not him. This event was a certainty.

" **WHAT?!** " Grandfather's roars are deafening. Kazuto never likes when Grandfather yells- his ears always start ringing and it would always be for the most pointless reasons. Most people don't like it when Grandfather yells- he's very loud, so why would they?

Suguha doesn't flinch. She glares at grandfather, coldly and death dancing in her eyes.

"I'm quitting Kendo, Grandpa," She scowls. "I'm not interested in it anymore."

Grandfather almost bursts a vein. "Why?" He seethes with clenched fists. The tension in the room is thick- so thick that you could bottle it and put it away. Kazuto gulps as Suguha speaks.

"I know what I want to do with my life," She declares. Kazuto watches as the fire ignites in her eyes. _She's serious._

"If this is about that game development course your mother has been talking about, I swear-!"

"So what if it is?!" His sister bites back, "I _enjoy_ this, _Ojisan_! You're not going to stop me from doing this!"

"But your trophies! Your champion titles! Your _skill_!"

"What _about_ them?!" She shouts, "I'm done with it."

Grandfather chuffs. "Suguha Kirigaya, I swear-,"

"What are you going to do about it, huh?!"

He's not sure when he starts moving. He feels weightless as he dashes forward- it's as if he's _floating_. Time slows. He feels the cool air on his face.

 ** _BAM.  
_**  
His cheek stings from the strike. He almost crumples from the force, but his aching bones somehow hold firm. Suguha gasps in terror.

Kazuto looks up at his Grandfather. Grandfather _glares_ at him, all the way through. It's as though Kazuto was merely a pest- some sort of obstacle in his way. He feels his voice almost wither away.

"S-stop, _ojisan_ ," Even still mustering up the courage, his words choke his throat. He only barely manages to get it out through Grandfather's scornful gaze. Suguha clutches his arm- tries gently pulling him away- but Kazuto doesn't budge. "Don't touch her!"

Grandfather scoffs. "Move aside, Kazuto," he commands.

Kazuto shakes his head, and he doesn't budge.

Grandfather's expression is near monstrous right now. A nightmare. _Inhuman._ His blood drains from his face.

" **Kazuto Kirigaya.** " He booms, and his bones rattle.

But Kazuto

still. Doesn't. Move.

"You won't touch her," He rasps, his voice starting to even, "I won't let you. Suguha can do what she wants with her life. You don't decide that for her."

Grandfather raises his hand. Curls his fist. Kazuto dreads the next blow. He doesn't want to be punched.

But he won't let him injure her.

The fist winds back. The monster growls and snorts like a bull ready to charge. He grits his teeth in anticipation- braces himself, for what will surely hurt.

But the hit never comes.

It feels like years have passed, but Grandfather lets his fist drop to his waist. Kazuto's wrist is gripped really tightly; his hand feels numb, and neither he nor his sister dare to move.

But Grandfather just turns and walks away.

"It seems you're good for something after all," He leaves in the air behind him, as he stomps outside.

 ** _BANG!_** The sliding door slams shut.

He doesn't move. Neither does Suguha. His feet feel glued to the mats.

 ** _BOOM!_**

Thunder crashes outside, and soon the heavy drizzling of a storm pelts the dilapidated building. He looks out the window, where grey clouds gathered.

It was an awful day.

VI.

" _niisan._ "

A very familiar voice beckons him from past his closed eyelids as he slips into consciousness. They crack open, to see Suguha staring at him. "What are you doing out here?"

"Kendo practice," His answer is nearly autonomous, even as he forces himself awake. Suguha sighs.

"Again?" She asks. "You've been non-stop practicing for three days now. Can't you take a break?"

It's a familiar exchange by now. Ever since he'd become the star athlete between the two, Grandfather hadn't given him any time to rest- he had to keep practicing or else he'd risk Grandfather's wrath. He thought she'd understand- after all, her was doing it for her- so she could

Suguha folds her arms.

"The regional tournament is coming up soon. I have to practice."

He looks at her face. It's disappointed- she probably expected that response, too. She stretches her hand out towards him. Accepting it, he gets pulled up. "Supper is ready. C'mon."

She walks ahead of him as they return to their home from the dojo. Around halfway through, a thought strikes him. "Hey, I thought Mom doesn't get back home until 7pm?" He asks.

Suguha gives him a dirty look. "Yeah. She doesn't."

Kazuto sobers up. Everything makes a lot more sense now.

His sister doesn't try to talk to him again. It would be a while before she ever started their conversations.

VII.

The sky is a clear blue. Clear and unbroken as far as the eye could see, with not a cloud in the sky to break up the gradient.

He looks up. The sky is still unbroken; why wouldn't it be? He was a fool to think the sky would change so quickly. He should be thankful that the weather is so nice on this day; poor weather would mean that his clothes would be wet, and the air would be humid. Instead, the air is clean and the weather is warm. Songbirds sing, and the clouds shy away.

It's a lovely day when Grandfather dies, and the sun beats down on his casket. He almost looked like an angel, his pallid skin glowing golden hues.

Almost.

He wondered if some sort of irony awaited his Grandfather in the afterlife; his Grandfather was so very _far_ from an angel. He didn't deserve to go where angels go.

He had asked his mom once, a long time ago. _Where do angels go?_

She had smiled warmly at that.

 _Why, to the sky, of course._

He hates the sky's perfection. He hates how nice it is today. He hates that the clouds and the air and the sun make today beautiful. Grandfather was dead. The sun should be covered by clouds. Rain should be pouring down. Umbrellas should be drawn. Maybe even lightning should strike the coffin he rests in. It shouldn't be this serene.

Kazuto feels too slippery in his skin. He adjusts his tie, coloured red.

The hatred is gone. Maybe it never existed. But Kazuto wasn't stupid: the sky was perfect; the sky doesn't care for his feelings. The sky wouldn't be perfect if it had to consider everyone, would it?

Kazuto looks up slowly at the perfect bright blue expanse, stretching as far as he could see. The sun radiated, like a small koi fish in a pond. It was a lovely day.

Feeling the breeze on his skin, he stretches his hand towards the sky. He yearns to reach for it. He wishes the sky could reach back to him. He'd love to live among the clouds.

Suguha digs an elbow into his side, and he flinches pulling his arm back down. "You look crazy, _niisan_ ," She admonishes in response to the bewildered expression he shoots, head flicking behind her.

He looks back- only to be met with the eyes of a man with greying hair who's face he doesn't recognize, amongst other, older faces. His body flushes, and he feels like he's on pins and needles. Kazuto turns back. His sister snorts in amusement.

"Really crazy," She says, not turning to look at him. Kazuto sinks in his seat, following suit. His eyes cast forward at the casket. The embarrassment washes over him like a hot, putrid magma.

Swallowing, he tries to expel the emotion from his mind by observing the coffin. The coffin is made of lacquered dark wood, with an inlaid stark white bed. He can barely make out the grey tufts of hair on the body's head. Grandfather has no beard- they shaved him for the funeral. He looks clean now. It's a far cry from the loud thunder behind his voice, and the lightning in his eyes and the clouds in his hair.

The cleanliness is pristine- _innocent_ , almost. Another feeling washes over him: anger.

Kazuto hates it. Grandfather wasn't an innocent person. Grandfather didn't deserve a perfect sky.

VIII.

When everything is said and done, tears are shed (not from him) and handkerchiefs are stained. Relatives stare down at their feet, or at the grave marker Grandfather lies beneath.

 _̡̢ ̶̀͢͢ ̴̨̛ ̴̵̶̧́ ҉̛͡͏ ̶̡̡͜͜ ͏̧̡͡ ̶̵̵͠͡ ̵̴̀͜ ̵̛́ ̢͘ ̴͞ ̵̕ ͡ Kirigaya. 1970-2021. Beloved Grandfather._

Kazuto doesn't want to look at it. He turns, a step already taken in the opposite direction as he begins to leave.

"Oof."

He collides face first into a man, tripping over his dress shoes as he steadies himself on the man's taller body. Just as quickly, he pries himself off, face flushing. "Ah, I'm sorry-!"

"No worries, boy," The adult is already chuckling before he can finish his apology, waving a watch-clad hand away from him. Kazuto sighs in relief, fiddling with the knot on his tie, moving both hands up to his collar.

For whatever reason, the older man inhales sharply, and the sound lifts his gaze. The man's eyes have grown sharp, his brow furrowed. His mouth opens slightly, but words are slow to follow. "Kazuto Kirigaya?" He asks.

His blush returns in full force. He didn't expect someone to know who he was- he was rather secretive, outside of the kendo club and kendo tournaments, and even then, he was hardly known. "Yeah," He says, and diverts his gaze. The man's face softens. He chuckles softly soon after.

"I suppose his greatest Kendo success story would pay his respects," He says, running his hands through his dark, clean-shaven hair.

Kazuto stops. A cold, icy feeling blossoms from the pit of his stomach. He laughs uneasily.

"I wouldn't call myself that," He says, and his sister's smiling face constructs itself in his mind's eye. The man waves him off.

"Nonsense, boy. You've won many titles under his tutelage, without losing. Not to mention your podium appearances in global competitions. You don't give yourself enough credit. I'd say you've almost done perfectly,"

There's a strange twinkle in the man's eye as he speaks. It arms Kazuto. He runs his fingers over his suit's cufflinks. "Thanks," He says, eyes cast to the side and upward back to the sky. He catches something as he does so: he spots a cloud lurking in, creeping in at the edge of the horizon. It's almost unnoticeably tiny; but in a sky as clear as today, it may as well have been a rip in the sky itself.

He turns, entranced as the white wisp slowly drifts along with the wind.

"Ah, Kirigaya-san, have you ever heard of the Castle in the Sky?"

He turns back, confused. "What?"

The man's eyes glimmer again, an identical glow to the one before. "It's a film. Quite old, in fact. It's a story about a young boy and girl searching for a legendary floating city. The 'Castle in the Sky', so to speak. Of course," He titters, "There was an antagonist in the form of a few pirates, as well." The word 'sky' makes him tilt his head. He stares oddly at the man.

The man's hazel eyes glowing like metal: with a dull sheen. His smile grows. "Don't you think that's a novel concept?"

Kazuto is gobsmacked- really, how could a thirteen-year-old respond to _that_? The man evidently realizes this and turns flustered. He laughs nervously and scratches the back of his head. "Ah, my apologies. I guess that sounds a bit strange. Forgive me for that."

Kazuto raises his hands defensively. "It's okay, mister…" He says, and through his trailed-off voice does he realize that he doesn't know the man's name.

"Kayaba. Akihiko Kayaba," The man answers, running his hand through his hair. "I was an old pupil of your grandfather. Although, shamefully, I never quite kept up my practice after I graduated from university," He says forlornly. A few things click into place in his mind- although recognizing the man certainly wasn't one of them. The man named Kayaba smiles.

"I figured as much. Don't worry, Kirigaya-san. I doubt I'll ever see you again after today anyway," He says quietly, and turns away to make his exit. Kazuto watches as the man begins to take his leave, light indents in the grass where he stepped.

"Wait, sir."

He's not sure what compels him to speak- maybe it's camaraderie, maybe a sense of safety, or maybe just plain stupidity, but it stops Kayaba from leaving. The man turns to look at him, to watch as Kazuto adjusts his tie. He looks up, dark eyes gazing at the cloud drifting in. It was almost directly over top of them now- it would soon cover the sun and give them some shade.

"About what you said earlier. I don't think it's correct."

Kayaba raises his eyebrows. "Oh? About…"

"'His Greatest Kendo success story'. That's not accurate," He clarifies, "That's not me. My Grandfather just forced me to do it. I don't even like kendo that much. "

Kayaba looks stunned at the words, just for a split second. Then a strange, ebullient smile manifests on his face. He laughs.

"Hah! Is that so?" He asks, voice without malice. "Well then, I suppose I'll hold you to what you say. Still, if you keep pursuing it… Good luck, Kirigaya-san. Life favours the determined," He says merrily.

With that piece of advice, Kayaba turns to leave. This time, Kazuto doesn't stop the strange man from making his way to the exit- leaving behind indentations in the grass as he slowly disappears.

It's not for while until he shivers at the realization- at the fact that the man named Akihiko Kayaba _laughed_ on the day they buried his old kendo teacher.

Castle in the Sky was an amazing movie. He'd almost call it perfect.

IX.

He doesn't quite remember what the day is like when he spots it on Suguha's screen.

"What's that?"

Suguha swivels in her chair, adjusting the glasses framing her face. Her eyesight had grown poorer over the years, but this was the first year that she needed lenses. "It's a new game coming out," She explains. "It's gonna be virtual reality, and it's supposed to be _huge_ ," The excitement is barely noticeable, but she may as well have been screaming.

He smiles warmly, before he walks towards the screen and leans in. He squints at the image of an object floating in an artificial blue sky.

"Really?" He says and leans slightly further to read the caption underneath the picture. _Castle in the Sky_ leaps out at him. _The world is said to take place in an airborne castle, much like the classic Castle in the Sky_ , the full subtitle says. "What's it about?"

"It's a fantasy game MMO. You explore the world, grab weapons, learn a bunch of skills called 'arts' and clear each floor to get to the top. You win when you reach the 100th floor. It's all a part of this new VR set that's coming out in a few months that everyone's been talking about, and- hey, _niisan_ , are you okay?" She moves her hand to wave it in front of her brother's face, trying to snap him out of his haze. He jolts.

"Ah yeah, I'm fine," He waves off just a little bit too quickly. "I just…"

 _He hopes it might grab him. Hopes that maybe, just maybe, the stars would reach him in turn. Float him away._

 _His hand tremble at the thought. Excitement in his veins. What if? He feels himself get lighter. Weightless, as his arm reaches towards the sky, just out of reach. Just a little more.  
_

He shakes his head. "Weird memories."

"Weird as in, 'I only want to wear black for the rest of my life', or 'I think that showing up with a bamboo sword is a good idea for show and tell- Ow!" Kazuto bats Suguha's head.

"Shut up," He says, voice light as he quickly rails his train of thought. "But it looks fun. How much is the whole setup?"

Even after Kazuto had put Kendo on hiatus, unsure of what he was going to do with the sport, Suguha was still acclimating to having an older brother again. She talks without thinking. "Uh… It's a bit expensive. Like, the setup took me a few months of saving to preorder just the headset. Do you really want to spend money? Heck, you have to get ready for high school and-,"

Kazuto cuts her off before she can finish her thoughts. He smiles warmly, and with just a smidgen of sorrow. "It's okay, Sugu. I have some money, and I can just bug Mom and pay her back later, if it comes to that. What's the game called?"

Suguha scratches her ears. She still couldn't believe that Kazuto wasn't talking about Kendo. It had been so long. "It's called, uh… Sword Art Online," She cringes, waiting for any sort of resistance- or even just an outright declination, like he'd said so many times before. _Sorry, Sugu, but I don't have any time to play._

But instead of freezing up, he turns to look out her window. Past the white framed glass and at the sky, the atmosphere draws his eyes. Suguha follows his gaze, leaning back in her chair to stare outside. The sky was a beautifully pure blue, mottled with wisps of all shapes and sizes and all tones of grey. A wall of clouds sat in the distance, glaring back. Maybe there'd be a storm coming through.

But even with a possible storm, looming on the horizon, nothing has ever felt better than this moment.

He smiles. It feels nice.

* * *

 **Something new, to try and push myself out of my comfort zones when it comes to writing.  
There was originally going to be a part 2 to this story, but I think it would deviate too far from my original themes if I tried to write it.  
Kayaba's scene was super janky to write. It was the reason why I took so long to finish this, and I'm not perfectly okay with it, but I tried my best.  
**

* * *

 **ADDENDUM:** **as per a request, the story is free for adoption if anyone would like to continue it past this oneshot. I only ask that, should you continue, you send me the link- I'd love to see what others can come up with. Cheers!**


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